CVE-2025-55010 in kanboard
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2025
Kanboard is project management software that focuses on the Kanban methodology. Prior to version 1.2.47, an unsafe deserialization vulnerability in the ProjectEventActvityFormatter allows admin users the ability to instantiate arbitrary php objects by modifying the event["data"] field in the project_activities table. A malicious actor can update this field to use a php gadget to write a web shell into the /plugins folder, which then gives remote code execution on the host system. This issue has been patched in version 1.2.47.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2025-55010 represents a critical unsafe deserialization flaw in Kanboard project management software, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.2.47. This vulnerability resides within the ProjectEventActivityFormatter component and exploits a fundamental security weakness that allows authenticated administrators to manipulate serialized PHP objects through the event["data"] field in the project_activities database table. The flaw stems from the application's improper handling of user-controlled data during deserialization processes, creating a pathway for arbitrary object instantiation that bypasses normal security controls.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-established pattern that aligns with CWE-502, which categorizes unsafe deserialization as a serious security weakness. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious serialized data within the event["data"] field, which gets processed through the ProjectEventActivityFormatter. When the application attempts to deserialize this data, it inadvertently executes PHP objects that contain malicious payloads. The vulnerability's design allows for the creation of web shells within the /plugins directory, a location that typically hosts legitimate plugin components and therefore bypasses many security restrictions that would normally prevent arbitrary file creation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and encompasses multiple critical attack vectors that align with ATT&CK technique T1566 for initial access and T1059 for command and control. Once an attacker gains administrative access, they can execute remote code on the host system with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The web shell creation capability provides persistent access and allows for further reconnaissance, privilege escalation, and lateral movement within the network environment. The vulnerability affects the entire application stack since it operates at the application level rather than network level, making detection and mitigation more complex.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-55010 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary and most effective mitigation is upgrading to Kanboard version 1.2.47 or later, which implements proper input validation and sanitization of serialized data. Organizations should also implement strict access controls and principle of least privilege, ensuring that administrative privileges are not granted to untrusted users. Network segmentation and monitoring of the /plugins directory for unauthorized modifications can provide additional layers of defense. Security professionals should conduct regular security assessments of serialized data handling within the application and implement proper output encoding techniques to prevent similar vulnerabilities from manifesting in other components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating and sanitizing all user-provided data during deserialization processes, particularly in applications that handle complex data structures and object relationships.